Beet topper and harvester



JLA. MUELLER.

BEET TOPPER AND HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25. 1919.

Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET l.

J. A. MUELLER.

BEET TOPPER AND HARVESTEH.

APPLICATION flLEi) JULY 25 1am.

Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET Z.

dim-10 J. A. MUELLER.

BEET TOPPEB AND, HARVESTER. APPLICATION FILED um 25. 19:9.

Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

gnmutbz (Mac PATENT. OFFICE.

JOHN A. MUELLER, or THIENSVILLE, Wisconsin.

IBEET TOPPER AN D H ARVES'IER.

2 Application filed July 25,

To all whom it may cancer 11,:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. MUELLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Thiensville, county of Ozaukee, and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful. Improvements in Beet Toppers and Eatvesters, of which the following is a specificatiofi.

My invention relates to improvements in beet toppers and harvesters.

The object of my invention is to provide means for folding the beet tops or leaves rearwardly in positions favorable for cutting them, and simultaneously adjusting a rotary cutter in position for cutting the tops without cutting the roots, and preferably causing. the same to cut the tops, or at least to commence the cutting process, while the leaves are still held in rearwardly folded position by the folding apparatus.

In the drawings i--' Figure 1 is a side elevation, showing the principal features of a beet harvester embodying' my invention, with parts thereof in section. k

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the top: ping mechanism, showing also one front wheel and a portion of the axle and frame.

Figure 3 is asectional view on line 33 of Figure 1.

I Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 4--4 of Figure 5;

Figure 5 shows modified cutter mechanism. A I f Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

My improved ,beet topper comprises a four wheeled vehicle, the main frame 1 of which supports the mechanism. The topping blades 2 are supported by a set of vertically disposed parallel shafts 7, provided at their upper ends with pinions 8, the latter being disposed upon opposite sides of an actuating gear wheel 9 mounted upon the cross shaft 10. The cross shaft 10 is driven from a sprocket wheel 11 on the rear axle by a chain 12 which runs over a sprocket pinion 13 on shaft 10. The shaft 10 is mounted in suitable bearings 15 on the frame bars.

Each of the shafts7 .is journaled in a uide sleeve or hearing member 17 which is hun from the frame bars 15 by a yoke 18. Vi ithin the yoke, and below the pinion 8, each shaft 7 is provided with an annular Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

1919. Serial No. 813,208.

arm 20, whereby the shafts7 may be lifted while being rotated.

In Figure l, the upper ends of the shafts 7 are squared, and are adapted to slide, when lifted, through the pinionsS, the latter being supported from the yoke 18 by a cross arm 25 on the side arms or vertically extending legs of the yoke. In Figure 5, the arrangement is such that the arm 20 lifts a yoke 18 which carries with it the i flange 12, adapted to be engagedby a forked bearings 26 for the shaft 10, these being mounted to slide in suitable guides 27 on the frame 1. In either form of construction, the shafts 7, together with the blades 2, are lifted or lowered when the arm 20 is raised or lowered, and in both forms of construction the blades may be continuously rotated while being lifted or'lowered by means of the driving sprocket. chain 12.

It Wlll be apparent that the blades 2 will rotate in opposite directions, inasmuch as the pinions 8 are located on the opposite sides of the gear wheel 9, the latter being provided with an annular row of gear teeth on each of its respective side faces.

The arms 20 are provided with downwardly extending elbowed portions 30, in which a supporting cross shaft 31 is journaled. This cross shaft is provided with a set of sprocket wheels 32, having a sprocket pinion 33 at one end, driven by a chain I 34 from a driving sprocket wheel 35 mounted upon the cross shaft 10. The ,set of sprocket wheels 32 are adapted to drive an endless belt or apron 37 having cross slats 38, said endless belt or apron being supported upon an oval shell 39, which extends around, or partially around, arm 40 mount-.

the vehicle as it moves forwardly along the row of beets to be harvested. Therefore, the

cross bars 38 will operate as untoothed rakes. or as the worlnng members of a scraping or tractive leaf folder or conveyor, to engage the beet tops or leaves, and carry them backwardly over the root crowns, without scratching or cutting into the crowns as would be the case if rake teeth were used.

This conveyor not only serves to position the to s or leaves favorabl for the cutting operatlon, but it also posltions the blades 2, for the arms 20 are supported from the shaft 31, and the shell about which this conveyor travels, said arms 20 having extensions 39 whereinshafts 7 are journaled below blades 2. a

It will be observed that the blades 2 revolve in a horizontal plane, with the-margin of one slightly overlapping the margin of cate the other, and that both blades are located in close proximity to the slats or cross bars 38 of the leaf folding conveyor, the front mar ins of the blades being preferably 10- at a distance of about one inch from the position occupied by a slat or cross bar 38, immediately prior to commencln its upward tra'vel about the sprocket whees 32.

The blades are also located substantiall in a horizontal" plane which includes the tom surfaces of the slats or cross bars 38 when. traveling, along the underside of the shell 39. The shell is preferably transversely divided, and formed of resilient material, whereby it may yield or vibrate to described will be readily understood from lappilng portions of theblades I avoid excessive friction. whenever fragments of leaves or other material tend to crowd in between the slats and the shell.

The mode of operation of the parts above the description above given. But it may be brief! stated that as the vehicle travels forwardly with its main supporting wheels 45 straddling the row of beets, the leaf foldi conveyor will operate with a tract1ve e ect upon the beet tops or leaves to fold them rearwardly, and as the slats 38. travel across the crowns of the roots at the rear 'end of the folder, they support the blades 2 in a sition to cut the tops or leaves without cuttin or scratching the crowns to. a suflicient epth to remove or break the skin. This is an exceedingly important feature of my invention, for the reason that- 1. In a beet topper, a revoluble leaf folder, means "for actuating the topper forwardly along a row of beets, means'for revolving and-with its lower surface moving the folder in a direction to carry the leaves of the beets rearwardly, leaf cutting means positioned by the folder for operation upon the leaves, said folder com rising'an apron composed of'a set of flexi y connected leaf engaging cross bars, and a guide for the apron, adapted to hold the bars in a commgn plane along the leaf engagmg' under $1 e.

2. In a beet topper, the combination with a wheeled vehicle, a set of depending shafts provided with. cutter blades, connections for driving said shafts and blades from one of the vehicle wheels, of an auxiliary tractor sup orted from the vehicle, and operative in rout of the blades to support the latter, said tractor comprising an endless apron driveniby the vehicle at a greater speed than the vehicle travels, and adapted to travel upon the row of beets to fold the leaves and support the cutting blades at the pro 1' level, the front end of said tractor be' t to move vertically independently o the ortion. 4 7 3. a beet to per, the combination with top cuttin mec of a leaf folding conveyor sposed wholly in advance of the cutting mechanisn, and upon the crowns of the beets, means for actuatin the said conveyor rearwardly along sald crowns, and means for utilizing the rean end only of the conveyor to support the clIlttin mechanisn at the proper level.

4. n a top cuttin' mec anism, of a leaf folding conveyor lsposed in advance of the cutting 'mechanism, and adapted to travel upon the crowns of the beets, means for actuating the said conveyor rearwardly along mi crowns, said conveyor comprising "an mdlees series of'flexibly connected bars, posed transversely to the line along which they travel, and a support for and bars, adapted to hold them subdlntially in a common plane along-the under side of the conveyor.

a 5. In a beet topper combination with a wheeled vehicle havmg a frame provided withde shafts and cutters, adapted for vertical 'ustment, of

sitioning the cutter, means 'co with the vehicle for driving the a run at a greaterrateofspeedthanthevehi travels,

in an opposite direction to that of vehicle travel.

' to per, the combination with I to travel and harvesteq the no l 6. In a beet topper and harvedaer, the 7 combination with a wheeled vehicle he e i dependinsilefil 118 an elongated shell provided with subdzantrave in an opposite direction to that of vehicle cutters, adapted for vertical adjustment, of an elongated shell provided wlth substantially semi-cylindrical end portions loosely supported from the frame in front of the cutters, and endless tractive apron extending about said shell and adapted to rest upon the beet tops and crowns, means controlled by the rear end portion of said apron for positioning 'the;..cutter, and means connected with the vehicle for driving theap-ron at a greater rate of speed than the vehicle s, and with its lower surface moving travel, said apron having a series of transversely disposed rake bars adapted to engage the leaves and fold them rearwardly. 7. In a beet topper, the combination with top cutting mechanism, of a leaf folding conveyor disposed. in advance of the cutting mechanism, and adapted to travel wholly upon the crowns of said beets prior to the cutting operation, and means for actuating said conveyor rearwardly along said crowns,

the front end of the said conveyor being free to move Vertically independently of the rear ortion.

8. n abeet to per, thecombination with top cutting mec anism, of a leaf folding conveyor dlsposed in advance of the cutting mechanism,'and adapted to travel upon the crowns of said beets prior to the cutting operation, andmeans for actuating said,con

veyor rearwardly along said crowns, said conveyorjbeing free to move at either end independentlypf the other end.

In testimony whereof I aflix by signature in thepresence of two witnesses.

. "JOHN ,A. MUELLER;

-Witnesises: i

LEVERETT C. WHEELER,

A p '0. C. Wni3m 

